Exploration and Discovery

Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain in 1492 in search of a New World, and he found it.

His willingness to bravely explore the unknown produced some very gratifying results for generations of people  and cultures.  One of the places he discovered was Hispaniola. We know it today as the Dominican Republic.  Recently, we visited The Columbus Lighthouse Museum where the bones of Columbus are said to be in 

Bones of Columbus

  

in this black box.  Although, Spain claims to have his remains, too.   Columbus was a fascinating person who delivered to Europe fresh information about the New World he had discovered.   For this, he is remembered.  He believed that God had called him to make these voyages and actually considered his greatest accomplishment that of spreading the gospel.
His sails carried the mark of the cross.

Exploration and discovery will always be with us; albeit, in different ways.


Just last week, we met this group of young  volunteer missionaries-in-training who have committed their futures to church planting.   This group will plant new starts in the urban areas of the largest cities in Central America and on the Caribbean islands.   They have set their sails and are carrying the cross, too. "We have loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well..."  (I Thessalonians 2:8)

Our days and nights busy here.   We love the interaction with the community of both believers and non-believers.   Every assignment is different, and here, we have the opportunity to attend workshops that introduce new materials to us about church planting and all the blessings that result.

Most nights, we have fun with our languages classes.  We find ourselves slipping  from Spanish to English and reversing more often than planned.   We have practically created a "middle" language.  But then, seriously, conclude our classes with a solid focus on grammar, vocabulary, and writing.At the end of our days, after shopping, cooking, cleaning, and attending workshops, playing games and language learning, we are ready to Thank God for another good day!  

             Keep  Looking Up...and thank you for following our blog!
                                                                J:m & L:nda

Where We Breathe Right Now

When we step off our street into our temporary home, we enter the large living area of the two-story Genesis House. It has five bedrooms, three baths, a kitchen and a laundry room.

  We have described this assignment as managing a B&B for missionaries-in-training. During our month here, we collaborate meal planning and grocery shopping, preparing meals, and maintaining the house.

Here is the kitchen where we work, beginning at 6 a.m.  

The electricity in our zone shuts down from 7 a.m.-12 p.m., which means if we want coffee and want it while it's hot, then early is defined as scurry pronto!  We have two missionaries-in-training from Mexico and Costa Rica and will probably host several drop-in visitors here on business during this month.   We meal plan with our guests and buy all the ingredients necessary.  For Sunday lunch, we served penne pasta with red meat sauce, salad and fresh, surprisingly acceptable French loaf bread.  They requested that meal again...so, perhaps we can prepare and serve more "Americana" foods than we had expected.  They have volunteered to prepare their traditional plates, too, so we will bring home new recipes.

You may wonder if the electricity returns later in the day.  It does.  It reports for duty again from 12:00-3pm. Yes. Then off again until 8 pitch-dark p.m.   The good news is the Genesis House has a huge generator.   The bad news is diesel is about $5.00 a gallon.  So, wise usage is advised.

This past Saturday, we were invited to join the district youth power group for an all-day visit to a poorer neighborhood  and offer a day of leisure and fun to the children who live there.   There were three teams: medical, yard care, and personal care.

We worked with the personal care team that washed and braided hair and gave hand massages to the girls.  It was fun to see the little girls line up for beauty care and the little boys for hair cuts, which we graciously left to those who had barber skills.

This is a very rewarding assignment despite the normal challenges that hold hands with Central and South American assignments:  jungle-like heat and humidity, can't flush the t p, can't drink the water, and, of course, our limited Spanish skills.  However, all of that is minimized when we see the little boys in our neighborhood playing baseball (It is the DR, after all) and when our neighbors call us the missionaries in the yellow house.  Proud of that label!    Gracias A Dios!

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth...." (Romans1:16a)

Keep Looking Up and thank you for following our blog!
J:m and L:nda